Raves of the day

• Burgoo Bistro on Lonsdale in North Vancouver has quickly become one of my favourite spots. Whether meeting friends for lunch during the week, enjoying a tasty brunch on the weekend or hooking up for appys or dinner and drinks in the evening, Burgoo has a warm, friendly atmosphere and a menu that's just exquisite. It features "comfort food" from around the world. The brie fondue is exceptional- made with roast garlic, honey, thyme and white wine served with red grapes, cut apple, grape tomatoes and crusty bread. Make sure you stop by on a Sunday evening to enjoy the live music. For you winos (myself included), a satisfying wine list of economical picks with a pleasant Fossi Rosso from Italy or the Hester Creek Pinot Blanc from B.C. Plus, the sangria is absolutely divine. If you have a sweet tooth like I do, I highly recommend the chocolate banana bread pudding, which is topped with vanilla ice cream in a big, mocha cup. It is pure decadence.

• I have to tell you all about my latest purchase: Cheap Monday skinny jeans. I kid you not, these are the best fitting skinnies out there. They don't bag out at the knees, feel like a second skin (they're as comfy as Lululemon pants) and are available in a whole array of washes. The best part? They won't leave you with an empty wallet or a maxed out credit card...unlike the True Religions of yesteryear, these babies will only set you back 70 smackers. I have a new favourite pair of jeans, people.
  
  Photo: Tobi.com

• Everybody loves a sale, right? You must check out this new website with an online sample sale store called I Love Sample Sales Online. No need to wait in long lines for the fitting room. You won't even have to elbow the girls next to you or rifle through the racks. Now, sample shopping can be done in the comfort of your home and fantastic bargains are just a few mouse clicks away. Currently, you can get your hands on women's Diesel jeans in a variety of sizes at 60-75% off. The idea is that new brands will be brought into the store on a regular basis and sold for a limited time. There's even an option to sign up for regular e-mail notifications to both online and local sample sale events. That means, if there's any brand or store doing a sample sale in a city near you, you'll know about it first. I Love Sample Sales lists local sale events in 6 cities in the US and Canada: New York City, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Los Angeles. Click here to see which sales are coming up in the Vancouver area. Shopping is being made easier for us all the time. I think this is an absolutely awesome concept.